Durrell ploughs on to save rare tortoise

Tuesday 06 May 2014

They might be famous for moving slowly but the ploughshare tortoise - one of the world’s most valuable reptiles - is disappearing fast so Durrell is stepping up efforts to save it.

The Madagascan tortoises have become extremely popular as pets because of their rarity and their golden domed shells but the illegal trade has had a devastating effect on the numbers of them left in the wild - cut by 30% in the last three years alone.

With fewer than 500 adults left, they are now critically endangered.

So Durrell is working with other leading conservationist groups on a project to put a stop to the illegal trade – monitoring and protecting the tortoises left in the wild, with the help of community guardians and National Park rangers.

The groups will also build a picture of the entire trade chain from the wild to dealers in Southeast Asia. With the help of the UK Border Force, local customs and law enforcement agents will be trained to increase seizures within the country.

Durrell’s Head of Field Programmes Andrew Terry said: “Together with our partners, we have been fighting to save the ploughshare tortoise since 1986. It has been a hugely successful programme with a National Park declared, a successful breeding and release programme established and numerous community engagement projects underway.

Yet this tortoise is as threatened as it ever was, due to the surge in its popularity in the black market pet trade, largely in Southeast Asia. This project represents a huge boost for efforts to combat the illegal trade and to protect the species, bringing great expertise to bear on the problem.”

Regional Director for TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia Dr Chris Shepherd said: “Putting an end to the trade in the Ploughshare Tortoise is an extremely high and immediate priority if we are to ensure this species does not disappear forever.

“Southeast Asia truly is the hotspot for the illicit trade in this species and the support to step up our efforts to tackle the organized crime networks profiting from the illicit wildlife trade in this region is greatly appreciated”.

The plight of the ploughshare tortoise might not be as well-known as the elephant, rhino and tiger but Durrell are determined to put the species in the spotlight and smash the illegal trade.

Picture credit: Durrell